"Palme D'Or" for Mike Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11&

[eppie]

QUOTE 
Bush says you will only get rebuilding contracts in Iraq if you support them.

Motivated by repaying those who shouldered the burden. The other shoe is that it is quite "unfair" to let some nations like France, or Germany stand on the side lines when the heavy lifting is going on, but step right back in when profits are to be had. The whole business of "War Profiteering" seems entirely unseemly to me, and I didn't agree with the Bush Administration on this one. It would be better for Iraq if everyone was involved (and us too in the long run -- good will and all).

Well I don't really agree with that. I understand that you say, the US does the war, their soldiers die, and than it is unfair that other countries that kept their hands clean get rebuilding contracts.
There are a few points that have to be mentioned however.

First the US soldiers that are fighting there don't get anything. Bush' familie (and more or less everybody in his circle of aquantainces) does not have their brothers, fathers, cousin fighting in Irak. They are sitting at home profiting form those contracts. Second, Iraq is not owned by the US, they should decide themselves who rebuilds their country, the best of course is that they do it themselfs. In understand all the infrastructure that has to be rebuild to get the country running, but should we then not say, "we do that without getting any profits. We get paid just as much it costs us to do the job, and not a nickel more."
The problem is a strange flow of money here. Money goes from US help (does billions that are probably somewhere in the US aid to poor countries) to these rebuilding companys. This is probably the reason that Bush does not want other countrys in on the deal.
Third, and most important, this is a very dangerous thing in setteling international conflicts. It opens the way for western countries to start a war (just before the other one does) to be able to get the rebuilding.

To me, twisting that history into saying "Bush Lied" or "Blair Lied" is just the oppositions propaganda. "Bush was wrong" or "Blair was wrong" are more accurate statements of reality in my opinion.

That's not completely true. Before this war several experts and "normal people" (read my old posts) allready said that WMDs (of any kind) were not in Iraq anymore (I mean the UN said, that it was highly unlikely that there were WMDs in Iraq). Then English and american sources started saying they had "found" ...you name it....to get support from other country's. Excuse me if you don't think this is lying, I would like to pass by your house to sell you a new car or an insurance or something. :D (just kidding, no this is called lying, in politics you almost never get the real proofs, but this was lying as big as it gets)


I don't have a reference for those numbers of % of GDP aid. (it was in a newspaper) I guess it depends heavliy in what you all count) I remember a number of 0.14 % most european countrys got up to 0.5. % I believe.
ANother thing, did you know only Luxembuerg, Holland, and Switserland treated prisoners in a "good" way according to amnesty International ( but this is another topic)

I've said this on other occasions; My problem with Bush is that his diplomatic style is too heavy handed, he does not play politics with the world like some of our prior Presidents did. I'm sorry for our big muddy boots lacking diplomacy trampling all over your sensibilities.

please don't say "our" Of course I do not blame americans as people. Just some of them, problem is that they are the ones in power. And now Bush is visiting his friend Berlusconi, (as we speak) I guess he picked up some new tips to control the media.